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Gauge Shotgun

Team Building Is Construction Work

Business PowerPoint Presentations have changed a lot in the last ten years, but some of the best presentation secrets have been around for a while. Almost 25 years ago I was given a little book published in the 1950âs. It was entitled, âPublic Speaking as the Audience Likes Itâ. I donât remember much of the contents, but I do remember the point- when you are preparing to make a presentation, consider the audience and think about the best way to present your material so they will enjoy the experience and remember the valuable material. So here Building a team is somewhat like building a house. It takes organization, effort and skill to make one that meets the needs of the people that inhabit it. Likewise, to build a team in a work environment takes organization, effort and skill.

When a construction crew gets together to start working on building a house, they are working on one house. There are plans drawn up that show all the intricacies of the work to be done. There will be carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and other specialist that will do their part, but there is one plan. Everyone works from blueprints for the same house with the same goal in mind.

So also in team building there has to be a goal, or set of goals that everyone shares in common. That goal, those goals, need to have buy-in from each of the team members. A house builder would never give different house plans to the different workers and expect a good result. So, effective teams have to be built from the foundation up. It starts with a unified purpose and understanding of where the team is heading. Team members need to be able to see the desired end result and know how they, each individual member fits into the team. All the workers that contribute to the building of an edifice have one end in mind. They aren't working for their own results, but for the end results that come from the combined contributions of all the workers.

A team must grow together to realize that the individual efforts are not as important as the end result. It is not each team member that is working for themselves, but rather each team member is contributing to a grand purpose, a unified completion of a task or tasks.

I visited a friend who was building quite an elaborate house. The sound system and security systems were especially complicated. Because of the size of the systems special contractors were brought in that specialized in those areas. There expertise was vital to making the sound and security systems work correctly. And as important as that was, their contributions were no more important than others who built the house. And, although the sound system was the showcase of the house, it wouldn't have been much if there plumbing was inadequate, or they forgot the electrical wiring, of the walls weren't finished…

Team work is construction work because every person's contributions are vital to the success of the team. Whenever one team member is left out, not included in decisions, or feels minimalized in anyway, the work of the team is hurt and the best efforts will not result. The results may be great, but not as good as they could have been, and worse, the left out member becomes a liability to the rest of team.

Team building is construction work in that planning is essential. No one would go to a supply store and start buying things to build a house without making plans. And once the plans are made and the materials bought, you wouldn't just grab a hammer and nails and start putting boards together. There has to be a plan and it ahs to be organized and communicated to all who will be involved. I would be in big trouble if I planned on building a house, had the blueprints all made and ready to go, and then hired only electricians to do the work. Or perhaps I said to forget about the electricians and hired only plumbers. It wouldn't be a very good house. It takes the contributions of individual people who have expertise in the areas that are needed to be completed. As critical as that is, often times in work environments, individuals are put on teams for many reasons other than the considerations of their talents and abilities to contribute to the overall purpose of the team. Part of the planning and organization of the team is to realize the purpose and goals of the team and then match the right people for those tasks. It isn't, what needs to be done and lets some people to do it, but rather, what is the purpose and the goals and who are the people most qualified and best suited to do the best work and bring the best result.

Team building is construction work- the team has to be unified in its purpose, each team members contributions need to be recognized as vital, and planning and organization is of the utmost importance.

Team Building Is People Building

IT amazes me how much material is available on team building. Apparently there must be many ways to do it. Of course some are more effective than others. We have all seen the results of great teams that perform excellent work with excellent results. Likewise, we have all seen ineffective teams that labor painfully to accomplish little.

One key to great teams is for the leader to understand that team building is people building. The leader is vitally important and a primary function of the leader is to inspire the best efforts of the team members. Here are three keys for team leaders to practice…

Team leaders need to know their team members intimately. It isn't just knowing their names and the history that a human resources file might provide, it is getting to know them as individuals. To understand who they are and what makes them tick.

Popular among workplaces today is personality or temperament testing. These devices are used to understand one's own preferences or motivators, but too often they are then used to judge other people and their behaviors. The problem is that we begin to understand personality theory and we label people, and we think we know them. But once we have placed them as a certain "type" then we no longer get to know them, but think we understand them. This is a real problem and short-coming with many of the application of the Meyers-Briggs, DISC, and other like them. These each have definite strengths and can be very helpful, but they have definite dangers and concerns as well.

The best team leader will get to know the person, not just about them. The great leader will build a relationship with the team members so that they understand their situations, their concerns, their dreams, their motivators, their de-motivators, their passions, their frustrations- and all this not as a result from a survey or test, but from spending time with them and developing a caring nurturing relationship that goes both ways.

Did I say, "Goes both ways"? Yes, and that is vitally important. The team leader must be willing to receive from team members as well as contribute. And that doesn't just mean receive the contributions made to the team, but just as the team leader needs to know the team members, the team leader needs to be known by the team members. Team leaders need to be vulnerable and open to suggestions from the team members. Team leaders are not just put in charge. They are not the boss and cannot risk exercising strong authority over the team or it will become a matter of resentment.

We have all seen teams that lack effectiveness and often times it is the result of a strong leader that has to have things their way and are reluctant (at best) to take suggestions form anyone. They see their responsibility as giving orders to their team and the team members are present only to follow orders. Those team member become frustrated and resentful of the situation, and usually only put out a half-hearted effort with little concern for quality, just get the job done.

Team leaders must build their people. This means valuing them, listening to them and being open enough to take suggestions both for the team and personally. When a person feels safe to make contributions and valued as an intricate part of the team there will be mutual respect and admiration for each team member. But it start with the example of the leader.

Another key element in team building is for the team leader to serve the team. A lot is said and written these days on servant leadership, and it is growing in popularity- and rightly so. But often times we shy aware from the root word, serve.

Team leaders need to serve their team members. That means working to make sure they have all they need to do their job to the best of their ability .It may also mean investing in those team members so they can expend their abilities. Team leaders need to consider their team and how they can best get the best effort from each one. And that means looking at each individual and recognizing their contributions and talents. It also means going out of the way to make sure the individual team members are growing in ways that will benefit the individual and the team. Quite simply- team leaders need to make sure that they are building the people on their team.

Several years ago I worked at a shipping counter for an animal health company. Charlie and I worked the counter shipping small packages UPS. We worked fantastic together. When demands were high together we could ship as many as three hundred packages. Each package would have to be individually weighed, and labeled, but we succeeded amazingly well. After a time we both got promoted to different positions.

Two other people were brought in to replace Charlie and I as the UPS counter. These two had worked for the company over 20 years each, but didn't really get along very well. Of course, productivity at the counter went way down. To help the situation an automatic scale was brought in, conveyor belts installed and a new labeling and postage machine. All these were designed to make it a smoother faster operation. When I left the company daily backlogs were normal and rarely was the new team able to process more than 100 pieces per day.

I was once against by the supervisor after both Charlie and I had been promoted how we were able to get so much done. Reflecting, I think there were several reasons. Charlie and I became best friends. He had worked there much longer than I but when I was chosen to work with him he never treated me like he was the leader. He never through his authority around, but treated me like an equal. He was always ready to listen to my suggestions, and felt free to confront me when I needed it, but not in power, but genuine concern for me and the job we were doing together. We became sensitive to one another, and grew in that sensitivity. We went from just working together at the start to caring deeply for one another. Charlie led me in that way. Charlie said he never wanted to be a boss. But he was a great leader and set a wonderful example.

To be a team builder you must be a people builder. Know them, receive from them, and serve them. Pulling people to come and join is much more effective than pushing them in a direction you have chosen for them.

Team Building Is Like Target Practice

I'm not much of a marksman, but I have know several. My brother-in-law is a crack shot. My dad and he were deer hunting and Larry, my bro-in-law, was riding in a small trailer being pulled by a tractor. They were heading out in the woods to their hunting sites. As they crossed a pipeline going north, two deer, a buck and a doe crossed going south. Larry saw the deer out of the corner of his eye, with the tractor moving and the deer walking the opposite direction, he turned, drew a bead on the buck and dropped it with one shot. HE was using a lever action 30/30 and, if you know what that means, then you realize how great of a shot that was. In fact, you have to be pretty confident in your ability to use a saddle gun to go deer hunting the thick Ozark hills of Southern Missouri.

Some of the same elements that make a great marksman are the same for team building. First you have to know your target, then you have to have the right equipment, and then you need the confidence to put the two together.

As a child my dad would take me rabbit hunting. He had a double barreled shotgun, and I carried a .22 caliber rifle. I was never too excited because the possibility of shooting a rabbit with a rifle was pretty small. But it was fun to be with my dad and to watch our dog, Prince, enjoy the run. He was a good rabbit dog. My dad was good shot, and way back then he had three guns; the .22 caliber for squirrel hunting, the shotgun for rabbits and turkey, and a 9 millimeter rifle for deer hunting. Each gun had a specific purpose.

Each team needs to have a specific purpose, and the more defined that is the better. A shotgun is good for rabbits and turkeys, where rifles are suited better for deer and squirrels. But even within that description more needs to be defined. Smaller caliber guns a fine for smaller animals, but larger caliber is necessary for larger animals. The 22 for squirrels would do little to drop a deer, while my dad's 9 MM deer gun would destroy a squirrel or other small prey. The 20 gauge shotgun was fine for squirrels, but he eventually got a 12 gauge more suitable for his turkey hunting trips. Likewise with team building, to not only have a purpose but to have it defined well enough to be considered a target, or goal, will help determined the effectiveness of the team.

I remember the Christmas I got my first BB gun. I wanted a .22, but I got this BB gun. I was excited and disappointed at the same time. That afternoon I headed out in the woods. As I was leaving the house my favorite Aunt came by and asked what I was hunting. I simply replied anything that moves. Here was the problem, first my goal was too broad, and second my equipment wasn't sufficient for most things that moved. I'm lucky I didn't come across a bobcat or coyote.

First you must know your goal, then make sure you have the right equipment. In team building that can mean a number of things. One is that you must make sure you have the right people on the team. The team selection should be a result of the goal, or purpose. Once the goal(s) has been set then you can decide on the special skill sets that are needed to reach the goal in the most effective and efficient manner. Too often we have teams and then come up with the purpose or goals- this is backwards. A hunter wouldn't go buy a gun and then decide what he was going to hunt. The prey (goal) comes first, then the selection of the right equipment. When a need presents itself, then the team to address that need can be selected to make sure the right people, the most qualified for that purpose are put in place to handle the project the best way possible.

Now here is the critical part. What has been said is nothing new. The real problem is putting it together. Often times within corporations the teams are set, the division are made, the departments have been decided; the people are already on teams. A project comes up and it is given to a team, usually the best one suited, although I have also seen things given to the team less busy, and away we go. The problem is- is that the best more effective and efficient way to handle the problem? That is an important, imperative question that needs to be asked and answered. And the answer may mean we need to redraw the lines, re-divide the groups. So that we understand the goals, choose the right talent set to address it, and then have the courage to make changes necessary to make it happen.

Too many teams miss the mark, the purpose and goals have not been clearly defined. A team has been assigned rather than all the people considered and those chosen that have the right talents, skills and passion to do the best job. Team leaders and decision makers rarely take the courage to challenge the process and make necessary changes to utilize he best people for the best results. Team building can take a lot of learning form the old adage, ready, aim, fire.

3 things you need to know to help you relate to your audience when you design a business PowerPoint presentation.

Consider Your Audience

Before you start to design a business presentation, spend some time thinking about those who are going to receive your message. What do they have in common? What do you know about who they are? What do they feel? What experiences have they had? Where are they coming from? Consider, from the audienceâs perspective- what is so important about what I have to say? Why should they listen? How will they benefit? And how can I help them enjoy the experience?

Too often we begin our preparation thinking about what we want and need to say. We think about major point and what information we need them to assimilate or remember. We think about our responsibility, and if we have any fear or trepidation about being in front of people, we just wish it were over and prepare the message without much thought given to the audience.

That last line is too much too true. We prepare the message without much thought given to the audience. We think about the message, what we want to say and how we are best going to say it; we prepare our PowerPoint slides hoping that will âwowâ the audience into valuing the material. We remember the KISS method of presentations and we keep is simple, stupid. Maybe we remember the old adage, stand up, speak up, shut up, sit down. Fun little sayings, but not much help.

First in your PowerPoint preparation is to consider the audience and the best way to communicate with them. Think about the specific people, the demographics, commonalities, idiosyncrasies; examine them from every angle you can. Also consider your venue- where you will be making your presentation. Will you be on a stage with people seated in front of you; will you be on the same level as your audience; will they be at tables, round or square; will you use a microphone- hand held, lapel, or stationary; what kind of interaction can I facilitate, and the list goes on based on your own experience and creativity. But always consider your audience; it will influence the rest of your presentation.

Second- Involve the Audience

The days of getting up and speaking and then sitting down have past. We live in an age of reality TV in which we get to vote on the results, interactive games on the computer and via game modems, we have unlimited accessibility through cell phones, email and texting. People are not used to sitting back and just listening, the presenter must get them involved.

So you have considered your audience, and you know your message, now how do you get the audience involved? It is more than asking questions and showing slides, it is putting something in their hands, it is incorporating movement, it is using as many of their senses as possible to get them and keep them involved.

Nearly every book on public speaking skills written within the last 15 years has a section on telling stories, but donât just tell a story, show it. If you were riding a bike, then show it; if you were going over something, show it; if you were involved in a heated conversation, show it; if you were throwing a ball, show- never just tell a story, but show it, use gestures and plenty of them.

Are you talking about something, an object, show it, better yet, if possible give everyone a sample. If you are talking about something with an aroma, then work the smell into your presentation, use a candle, home baked cookies, incense, whatever it takes. Perhaps it is a sound, a firecracker, jet engine, ocean waves- find a way to duplicate it for your audienceâs aural stimulation. Perhaps it is a taste, give them something to remind them of the taste, a candy bar; a drink; ice cream- be creative. Maybe it is a texture- then give them something to feel, sandpaper, a piece of cloth, a rock, use your imagination, but incorporate some type of extra sensory experience for your audience to participate with you in the presentation. Be creative and push the envelope. (Some things I have done- handed out ice cream, given latex gloves and pens so the audience could take notes on their hands (five points-five fingers), lit incense prior so the room would smell like pine trees, given out hotel size soaps; spoken in a Santa Claus suit and a guerrilla outfit; given the participants small craft packages to built a boat made out of wooden ice cream spoons a toothpick and a piece of cloth, given out colored pipe cleaners for participants to fashion antennas⦠the ideas are as limitless as your imagination. Do it- get your audience involved.

Third- Be Concise in Your Closing

Once you had delivered the main thrust of your PowerPoint presentation and have involved the audience, leave them wanting more. Be concise in your closing remarks. Highlight the high points and then be on your way. Too many speakers close with their main points but continue to drag on thinking that re and re-emphasizing will make the message stick. When it is time to end, then end. Donât keep re-covering the topics and never introduce new material. If you have considered the audience, gotten them involved, then you can make a quick recap and let their involvement continue to speak after you have stopped.

Besides giving thoughtful consideration to your messages, these are three ideas to help your presentation be powerful and memorable- first, consider the audience; second, involve the audience; and third- make your closing concise.
About the Author

Craig Wagganer is a speaker and trainer specializing in
http://www.leadersinstituteteambuilding.com/
">Team Building training and leadership skill development. (
http://www.leadersinstituteteambuilding.com/
) Craig leads world-famous team building events like the Build-A-Bike(R) Team Building Workshop in major cities all over the US, Canada and Europe. Request information from his website, and we'll send you a free team building packet with a number of potential events and ideas for your next convention or team meeting.

i have a 12 gauge shotgun i use for hunting?

When i go turkey hunting i use a 12 gauge remington shotgun. Whenever i shoot the shell doesn't eject and the barrel goes inside the chamber. I have oiled the gun and cleaned it properly. but it doesn't fix it.

maybe your using too long of a shell
some shotguns only take 23/4" shells
it will say on the shotgun

Old 2 gauge shotgun: Lets go duck hunting!!! )